Venezuelan government rejects Trump’s ‘egregious belligerence’

Venezuela’s government has rejected US president Donald Trump’s talk of a potential “military option” to resolve the country’s political crisis, calling it the most egregious act of belligerence against Venezuela in a century and a threat to Latin America’s stability.

Foreign minister Jorge Arreaza’s response came during a meeting with overseas diplomats, which included Lee McClenny, the head of the US embassy in Caracas.

Mr Trump had made comments about Venezuela at the end of a national security briefing he hosted in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Mr Arreaza called Mr Trump the “boss of the empire” and said his comments fit a pattern of aggression against Venezuelan sovereignty and violate international law and the UN charter.

He accused Washington of seeking to destabilise and divide Latin America and the Caribbean.

Protests have been raging across Venezuela (Ariana Cubillios/AP)

The foreign minister also thanked several governments, including ones recently critical of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, for condemning Mr Trump’s comments.

Mr Arreaza called on “good-minded” Venezuelans to put aside their political differences and unite in rejecting the US leader’s comments.

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